Originally Posted by
Often1
Sounds as though this was all handled exactly as it should have been by TSA and the carrier. OP tested positive -- plausible explanation because he routinely handles chemicals -- was searched, cleared and flew.
No need for anybody to apologize to anybody and no need for OP to give it a second's further thought.
?
OP did nothing wrong but was humiliated in public, scared by TSA, and subjected to interrogation including intrusive personal and professional questions.
OP was fully within his/her rights to refuse to answer every single one of those questions, and probably would have been (illegally) denied travel if that right were exercised.
Just because the OP didn't get arrested doesn't make what the wannabe jackbooted thugs do right. Doing screening at the checkpoint, not the gate as the flight is boarding, reduces the time pressure and public humiliation. And the whole procedure after positive alarms on the ETD is way overboard given that virtually all alarms are false.